Unlikely Lovers
by ynnej2198
Summary: Patrick and Sabrina find themselves inexplicably drawn to each other. But, could a secret destroy everything these unlikely lovers have worked for? #Patrina (Pure fiction. No basis on any previous GH storyline.)
1. Chapter 1

**TEASER**

_Sabrina Santiago was pretty sure she was everything that Dr. Patrick Drake (the most handsome man she'd ever seen) wasn't looking for in a woman, so she couldn't understand why he chose to pursue her. Weary of his sincerity, she works hard to rebuff him until one night changes everything and she acquiesces to his advances against her better judgment. _

_Dr. Patrick Drake, successful neurosurgeon, never backs down from a challenge; so, when a gauntlet is tossed down, he has no choice but to pick it up. However, Patrick is thrown by Sabrina's continued resistance to his legendary charm despite his best efforts to woo her. When a heroic act wins him her favor, Patrick finds himself inexplicably drawn to her. _

_As Sabrina and Patrick fall in love, Patrick worries that his secret could destroy everything he never knew he always wanted._


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 1**

Sabrina Santiago had just moved to Port Charles from Puerto Rico to attend nursing school at General Hospital (GH). Today was her first day interning in the hospital and she was beyond nervous. All she ever wanted was to become a nurse like her mom and now she was finally getting the chance. Sabrina, a quintessential bookworm, had the smarts and drive to, well, kick ass, in the classes; however, she was worried that her chronic clumsiness would interfere with her clinical work. Sabrina was responsible and careful, could dance gracefully and multitask with the best of them, but somehow fate always intervened and made her run into people and objects, trip over her own two feet or generally make an ass of herself in public. She hated it, but it was a fact. So, to make a good impression, she was being extra careful as she carried a stack of charts from the file room. Epiphany, the head nurse, had assigned her the task of ensuring that the paper files were scanned into the new EHR system properly, which she would be working on throughout her tenure at GH. Sabrina knew that carrying so many charts was a recipe for disaster, but she was always an all-the-groceries-in-one-trip kind of girl, so she took the chance. She was nearly at the nurses' station when she was hit by a wrecking ball from the side. Sabrina was down with charts everywhere. Sabrina shouted "HEY!" as she pulled herself up from the floor and began mumbling "Why don't you watch where you're going?!" to the speeding bullet that hit her, but then she looked up and she lost her ability to speak, let alone breathe…

Patrick Drake, GH's Chief of Neurosurgery, was running late for a consult. He'd worked his ass off for years to hone his craft and climb the ladder of success and he finally managed to win the position he'd been angling for. It took a lot of hard work and even more schmoozing, but he'd achieved it. Now that he had the spot, he planned to excel in it so that, one day (sooner rather than later), he would be Chief of Staff and run the whole damn hospital himself. Patrick loved being who he was. Some people called him arrogant, but he knew that it was just an unshakeable confidence in himself that he would succeed. If he never questioned his decisions or abilities, then no one else would do it either. While he had lost a few patients over the years, as his surgeries were often complex and dangerous, he never blamed himself. He was the best at his job and if the surgeries didn't go as planned, then he simply believed they weren't meant to and there would have been nothing he could do to change that. Patrick lived life to the fullest with no regrets, especially when it came to his career and women. Because he was a successful (very successful) surgeon with tremendous self-confidence, women fell at his feet. Most of the women accepted his terms. While their liaison lasted, they would both be happy (very happy), but his work came first. Always. When a woman wanted more, he bailed. He simply chose not to tolerate the drama. Patrick was texting the ginger bombshell he was meeting for a drink after his consult, if he could only get there, when he hit a wall, or what felt like one. He looked up from his iPhone and noticed that it wasn't a wall he'd run into, but a person, who was not very happy about being bulldozed. As the little spitfire was giving him a set down about watching where he was going, he bent down to help her up so he could be on his way, and suddenly the consult and his date were the absolute last things on his mind…


	3. Chapter 3

A week after his run-in with Sabrina, Patrick was out for drinks at the Floating Rib with his brother Matt, also a doctor, and Steve Webber, the head of the ER, as it was a rare evening when the three of them were off duty and off of the call schedule and could indulge in a little fun. They were watching the football game and shooting the shit when Patrick's attention was drawn to the door.

Sabrina and Felix had both aced a very difficult test earlier in the day, so they decided to go to the Floating Rib to celebrate with some of their classmates. It had been a week since her run in with Dr. Drake and she had to admit that she could use a drink. When he'd leaned down to help her up, Sabrina had been rendered speechless by his gorgeousness. Dr. Drake was the most handsome man she had ever seen, but, he was also, she soon learned, the most arrogant wiseass she'd ever met. He'd grabbed her hand, pulled her up and made sure she was okay, but then he'd ruined the moment by mentioning that she would be able to see people coming if she didn't carry so much at one time. She barely got a rebuttal in before he hightailed it out of there, leaving her to pick up all the dropped charts. After that, it seemed like fate conspired to throw them together every time she worked at the hospital, where she would either be assigned to his floor, run into him at the nurses' station, end up next to him in line in the cafeteria or enter the locker room just as he was changing. Every time she was near him, Sabrina felt like her temperature rose ten degrees; but, then when he would make offhand comments about them needing to stop "meeting like this" (which, Sabrina assumed implied that she was following him around like a lovesick puppy), she felt like she got a bucket of ice water dumped on her head. Thus, she ended up being the antithesis of herself – distant, cold and bitchy – around him. She hated that she stooped to such a level, but she couldn't help it. The guy just seemed to rub her the wrong way. When Felix stopped mid-stride in the doorway, she peeked her head around to see what (or who) caught his attention and involuntarily growled in frustration.

Patrick saw Sabrina and her friend halt in the doorway, probably in shock at seeing him, Matt and Steve in the same room as their classmates. (He couldn't help that Yay-I-Passed-My-Test Day was the same as Monday Night Football…) He also noticed that she did not look happy to see him. Seriously, he couldn't figure out what the girl's problem was. After their little run-in last week, she was polite but distant (almost frigid) toward him when they worked together; and, when they coincidentally ran into each other in the cafeteria or locker room and he tried to make a joke about them needing to stop "meeting like this", she would always answer him with a snarky comment. While Patrick knew it was a little rude of him to bail without helping her pick up the charts, he didn't think it justified the attitude he was getting. (In all fairness, he _was_ running late for his consult. Plus, he was shaken by his "moment" when he looked down into her eyes and found himself unable to function. What _was_ that?!) When Patrick continued to stare at Sabrina in the doorway, missing a touchdown in the game, it drew Matt and Steve's attention.

"What are you staring at?" Matt asked, curiously.

"Nothing," Patrick answered quickly, too quickly.

Matt looked at the door and back at him and then at the door. "Ok, who's the chick?"

"She's not a chick. She's Sabrina. One of the nursing students."

Steve chimed in with, "Isn't she the one you ran over last week?"

"Yeah, so?"

"So, she doesn't seem happy to see you." Steve replied with a smirk.

"Wow, a woman not happy to see you," Matt said as he looked over at Patrick. "Never thought that day would come, did you?"

"It doesn't happen often." Patrick grumbled, tired of being picked on and still wondering why this girl didn't like him. (It also really bugged him that her not liking him bugged him so much.)

Matt drunkenly punched him in the arm and then said, "So there is a woman on this earth who is immune to your charms."

At that Patrick bristled, "No, there isn't. I could get her to like me." Patrick took a long swig of his beer and blurted, "Hell, I could get her to love me, if I wanted…"

"Prove it."

"What did you say?" Patrick asked.

"I said, 'prove it'. Get her to like you and be your date to the Golden Ball." This year, to celebrate its 50th anniversary, the hospital was having a special event to honor all of the past Chief's of Staff and current department heads (including him). Although it would not be as large of scale as the Nurses' Ball, which was held in June, everyone who is anyone in Port Charles would be there.

"You're kidding." Patrick scoffed. Showing up to the Golden Ball with a date like Sabrina would give everyone the wrong idea. First, considering he never took dates to hospital functions, let alone one as wholesome as Sabrina, it would make everyone question whether he, the confirmed bachelor, was settling down. More importantly, it would detract from his professional accomplishments by taking the spotlight off of his career and putting it on his personal life.

Steve looked between the brothers and said, "No, I don't think he is, Patrick. I think he means it."

Matt banged his fist on the counter. "Damn straight, I do."

"Why do you care, Matt?"

"Because, bro, you've worked hard for your career and I can appreciate that. But, I think you take for granted that every woman you ever met has fallen at your feet because you're a handsome neurosurgeon. You've never had to sweat and toil like the rest of us lowly doctors to get a woman to notice you." Matt paused. "Wait, except that one woman. What was her name?"

"Robin." Patrick murmured.

"Right….that's it! What ever happened to her."

"We had a thing. It didn't work out. She moved to Paris. Last I heard from Mac, she's married with a kid now. That Jason Morgan guy apparently gave up his life of crime and followed her to the land of croissants shortly after we broke up."

"Bummer. But anyway, she was the only woman, until now, that you've ever had to put any effort into conquering…. And, I'll bet the spoils of victory were much sweeter, weren't they?"

"I guess." Patrick grudgingly admitted. The truth of the matter was that he liked not having to make an effort. Without effort, there were no expectations. Without expectations, no one got their heart broken and Patrick could focus on his work.

"So, put in a little effort. Woo Sabrina and get her to let you take her to the Golden Ball."

"And what do I get if I do?"

"Lucky." Matt answered as if the answer were obvious.

When Patrick eyed him funny, he said, "Or, you get the satisfaction of knowing you are badass as well as three months of vacation from cleaning our apartment."

"And if I lose?" Patrick added just for the sake of argument. Losing wasn't an option. He hated cleaning, especially since Matt was a pig.

"If you lose, you do all the cleaning for six months and perform with Milo and the 'Magic Wands' at the Nurses' Ball."

Patrick looked from Matt to Steve to Sabrina and her friend and back again. "Alright," he said as he took a drink, "It's a bet...If you agree to clean for six months and perform with Milo when _I _win."

"Deal" Matt said, as he looked on like a cat who'd just eaten all the cream.

Now all Patrick had to do was figure out a way to get Sabrina to give him the time of day, let alone a date. What had he gotten himself into?


	4. Chapter 4

Sabrina didn't understand what was going on with Dr Drake. That night at the Floating Rib, he kept staring at her, which she knew because she was admittedly staring at him. They caught each other staring a few times and quickly looked away, but not before drawing Felix' attention. Dr Drake left before they did, so Sabrina was bombarded with questions from her well-intentioned but nosy bestie. No, she didn't know why Dr Drake was staring at her. From what she heard, Sabrina was about as far from his type as one could get. She was passably attractive (on a good day), with average build and height. Most days her long brunette hair had a mind of its own and refused to stay in any style she managed to create - even ponytails. And if that weren't enough, her curse of bad eyesight required the constant use of glasses. Although it worked in her favor that she'd traded her dorky humongous red frames in for sleek black ones, glasses were still glasses and they didn't add to her attractiveness. Yet, somehow it seemed the guy was working overtime to get her attention.

For two weeks after their run-in, Dr Drake managed to work every shift that she was scheduled for. He showed up earlier than her (and she was always way early) so he would run into her in the locker room and try to strike up a conversation. Whenever they "bumped into" each other in the cafeteria, he paid for her coffee. When she was at the nurses station working on charts or her EHR project, he would be there, too. Finally, when Felix and the other nurses began to notice, Sabrina snapped. She pulled him aside and said, "Ok, Dr Drake, what is going on?"

Feigning ignorance, he said, "What do you mean, Sabrina?"

"People are starting to gossip about why you are paying so much attention to a nobody nursing student. So, what gives?"

He smiles his gorgeously handsome smile and said, "Maybe I just like seeing you..." Then, he leaned closer and added, "And, I think maybe you like seeing me, too."

As Sabrina tried to think of a retort, he winked and started backing away. Suddenly, he added, "Oh, and it's Patrick, not Dr Drake. You should probably get used to it because you're going to be saying it a lot."

* * *

Patrick had spent two weeks since the night of "the bet" at the Floating Rib attempting to get Sabrina to notice him. If he was going to get her to go to the Golden Ball with him, then she had to give him the time of day. He'd tried everything subtle he could think of, but nothing seemed to work. He switched all of his shifts on purpose to coincide with hers. He got to the hospital ungodly early every time so that he could beat her to the locker room to change. He didn't want to make her uncomfortable by always changing when she walked in, so he timed it so that he was done changing just as she arrived. Since their lockers were in the same row, he made it a point to engage her in conversation and then squeeze past her on his way out. (It seemed, though, that squeezing past her made him more aware of her than it did her of him, which was weird.) Every time he "ran into" her in the cafeteria (accidentally on purpose, of course), he gentlemanly paid for her coffee. However, it wasn't until some of the other staff started wondering why he was hanging by the nurses station whenever Sabrina was that she _finally_ took the bait and confronted him. When she'd literally grabbed his sleeve to pull him aside and ask him what was "up", he was ecstatic. Of course Patrick had heard the gossip, too, but it only seemed to make Sabrina more interesting to him than less. Instead of addressing her stupid idea of being a nobody, he just cut to the chase.

"Maybe I like seeing you…" he said. Then, noticing her blush, he purposely leaned in and added, "And I think you like seeing me, too," with a wink that always worked on the ladies.

Patrick was satisfied by Sabrina's inability to find a retort because he knew it meant he was finally getting to her, so he went in for the kill and told her to call him Patrick. As he walked away, he smiled like the Chesire cat. If he had his way, she would be saying it a lot in the future, preferably preceding the word "yes" or following the word "oh".


	5. Chapter 5

Another week had passed by and Patrick was finally making progress with Sabrina. Now that she was willingly talking to him, he stopped re-arranging all his shifts. When they did manage to pass by each other in the locker room on their way in or out, they stopped to chat. He still paid for her coffee on the days they worked together and he'd gotten her to agree to sit with him and talk during some of her breaks. They talked about random things that he never spoken to women about before. He genuinely enjoyed talking to and spending time with her and soon found himself anxious to see her. While his goal was still to get her to go to the Ball with him, he hadn't brought it up in fear of scaring her off, as she still got skittish whenever he flirted with her. He'd seen Sabrina leave a little bit ago and knew that she often stopped by the docks to feed the ducks, so he figured he'd swing by and see if he could catch her on his way home. He once mentioned during lunch that it wasn't safe to be in that area, especially at night, but she'd given him a look that basically said she got his concern, but she was a big girl and was going to do whatever she wanted. So, he dropped the subject but silently vowed to keep an eye on her.

* * *

Sabrina stopped on the pier to feed the ducks on her way home from work. She knew it wasn't necessarily the safest thing to do, especially at dusk, but she needed to think and feeding the ducks helped her do that. Sabrina was more mixed up than ever since her little chat with Patrick last week. She still didn't get why a guy like him was paying so much attention to a girl like her, but she decided to stop resisting. When she did that, Patrick stopped clinging to her like a barnacle. Instead, he backed off and allowed her to set the tone of their interaction. Although she really liked him (probably too much), she chose to back away whenever he flirted. She knew they would never lead anywhere, so it was just best not to get her hopes up.

Sabrina had just gotten up from her bench and turned around to grab her things when she felt someone come up behind her. Suddenly, whoever it was, yanked her back - hard - into a Bear hug and covered her mouth so she couldn't scream. "Well, well, what do we have here?" he said menacingly.

Sabrina tried desperately to wrench herself free from the stranger's grasp, but couldn't. She began crying as the man maneuvered her toward the ground, knowing in her gut that she was about to be raped and there was nothing she could do about it. Suddenly, she heard someone shout "Hey!" and the man was yanked away from her. Sabrina, having fallen down into the ground, heard grunts and scuffling as the men fought. She tried to see what was happening, but it was too dark out. After a minute or so, a man kneeled down and reached out a hand toward Sabrina. "Sabrina, are you alright?"

Through tear-blurred vision, Sabrina saw that her rescuer was none other than Patrick. Not thinking twice, she threw herself into his arms and held on for dear life.

* * *

When Patrick saw the man grab Sabrina from behind, he broke into a run. Scared to death for and furious as hell when he saw the attacker trying to force her to the ground, he shouted "Hey!" and yanked the guy off of her. Sabrina's would-be rapist was slightly bigger than Patrick, but he had rage on his side and was able to knock the guy out during their scuffle. When he was certain the jerk was down for the count, Patrick walked over to Sabrina and kneeled down. When he extended a hand and asked her if she was alright, she launched herself into his arms.

At first, Patrick was surprised, but he quickly recovered and, relieved that she was okay, closed his arms around her and held on tight as she cried. After a minute or so, Patrick heard her attacker stirring, so he gently pulled Sabrina back to her feet. "Sabrina, we have to get out of here. Will you let me take you home?" When she nodded, Patrick grabbed her stuff and maneuvered her toward his car.


	6. Chapter 6

Sabrina rented a one bedroom apartment nearby, so it hadn't taken long for Patrick to get her home. When they arrived, He helped her inside and checked things out to make sure it was secure. After he got her settled, he called Felix, who lived across the hall, to come over and keep an eye on her. Patrick was about to leave when Sabrina said "Wait!" and jumped up from the couch.

"Yeah?"

Sabina hugged him again and said, "Thank you again, Patrick. You saved me. I'll never be able to repay you."

Patrick would ordinarily have used this as an opportunity to get her to go to the ball with him. Instead he said (and meant), "There is no need to repay me, Sabrina. I'm just glad you are safe." Patrick said goodbye and left for The night.

The next morning, Patrick was surprised when Sabrina approached him with two coffees in hand. She handed one to him and said, "For yesterday." Not wanting to embarrass her in front of the other staff by making a big deal of her gesture, he took the coffee with a nod and smile.

* * *

Sabrina hung out in the locker room past the end of her shift so that she could catch Patrick when his shift ended. She was monumentally grateful to him for saving her last night. Now, not only was she kicking herself at her stupidity for being on the docks alone, she was chastising herself for being so mean to Patrick the last few weeks. Sabrina just couldn't help but be suspicious at his intentions, so she had kept distance between them just to be safe. However , now that he'd saved her, Sabrina felt she owed him a real chance and hoped he would come to dinner at her place tonight so she could thank him and also start getting to know him.

He looked really tired when he came in from the doors by the OR. He stopped mid-stride when she said, "Hey"

"Hey"

"Tough surgery?"

"Yeah. Six hours. I'm wiped." He said as he moved toward his locker.

"Too wiped to stop by for pizza and a beer?"

"Huh?"

"A thank you dinner...and an apology dinner"

"Apology?"

"Yeah, for being such a bitch to you when we first met,." Sabrina said with a smile. "I'd like to start over fresh...if you would."

"Sure. Okay."

"Great! I'll wait outside."

After Patrick changed, he followed her to her apartment, where the two of them ate dinner, talked and watched a movie. It was after 10 when he left. Neither one could remember having a better time.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Over the next few weeks, Patrick and Sabrina began spending more time together outside of the hospital. Patrick was surprised by how much he wanted to be around her. They had become friends in truth and he was really enjoying it. He never even thought about the stupid drunken bet he made anymore unless Matt made a comment. Whenever Matt brought it up, Patrick sidestepped the issue, refusing to give his brother any info on the status of his friendship with Sabrina, which he actually liked keeping private.

Sabrina was cooking dinner for her and Patrick, who had become her best friend (next to Felix of course) over the past few weeks. Once she let down her guard, Sabrina found that she and Patrick had a lot in common and that "Patrick the man" was different than "Dr Drake, renowned neurosurgeon". When she heard a knock on the door, she ran to open it and was startled by the person on the other side. "Carlos?"

"Ola, Sabrina," he said, just before pulling her into a kiss.

Sabrina pushed him away. "What are you doing?!"

"Kissing my girl."

Sabrina crossed her arms and stated, "I haven't been your girl since we broke up in Puerto Rico. You do remember that, don't you?"

Carlos put a hand to his chest all wounded-like. "How could I forget the worst day of my life?"

"What are you even doing here anyway, Carlos?"

"A work opportunity came up here in town and I jumped at the chance to see you… So, chica, are you gonna let me in or not?"

_a few hours later..._

After dinner, Patrick and Sabrina were sitting on the couch drinking wine when he said, "What's up, Sabrina? You've been acting weird all night."

Sabrina poured herself more wine. "Nothing. Just a little preoccupied, I guess."

"Over what?"

"My ex showed up out of the blue from Puerto Rico. He just took me by surprise."

"Wait... You mean the guy you dumped years ago for being a jerk is here? Why?"

"Business."

When she didn't elaborate, he said, "And? ... You wouldn't be acting so weird if that was all to the story."

"Eh, it isn't even relevant..." Longing to change the subject, she said "So, what movie do you want to watch?"

"Hold on. There must be something else." Patrick then said jokingly, "If I didn't know any better, I would think you're all tied in knots because he announced that he wanted you back."

When he laughed, Sabrina didn't. "Sabrina? That's it, isn't it? He came here and announced he wanted you back."

"Yeah, you could say that..."

"What happened?"

"He kissed me."

"He... Kissed ... You?"

"Uh-huh. Took me by surprise. Afterward, he said he was an idiot for acting the way he did and that he's sorry. He still loves me and he wants me back."

Patrick abruptly stood up. "So... He kissed you? ... And he wants you back?"

"That about sums it up." Sabrina eyed him suspiciously when he started pacing. "Patrick, are you okay?"

"Fine," Patrick said in a high pitched voice.

"Are you sure?" She said as she stood up and grabbed the empty wine bottle to take back to the kitchen. "Because..."

"What?"

"Well... It's almost as if you are jealous…" When Patrick got a funny look on his face, Sabrina laughed self-deprecatingly and continued, "But, that's completely ridiculous because we're only frien..."

Sabrina never finished her sentence because she was too busy being kissed by Patrick.


	8. Chapter 8

From the moment he arrived at Sabrina's apartment, Patrick felt like something was off. Now that he and Sabrina had grown closer, she was generally very talkative and upbeat with him. Tonight, though, she seemed distracted and quiet. When they sat down to watch a movie, which had become a weekly routine, Patrick couldn't take it anymore and asked her what was up.

She said that her ex, who by all accounts was a possessive jerk, had shown up out of the blue. Knowing that what's-his-name merely showing up to say hello wouldn't distract Sabrina so badly, Patrick pressed her for more information. When Sabrina told him that the guy kissed her and wants her back, Patrick couldn't seem to comprehend it through the haze of jealousy that had bubbled to the surface. Patrick tried to cover his feelings, but as usual, Sabrina was too astute for her own good. It was, however, her comment about it being ridiculous that he could be jealous that spurred Patrick to action. Patrick was glad to be friends with Sabrina, but the possibility of her ex swooping back in made him realize that it wasn't enough. So, he kissed her.

Patrick could tell that he'd shocked her with his kiss, but, after a moment, she responded and began kissing him back. When he pulled her against him, she melted into his embrace and Patrick was hit by the biggest wave of lust he'd ever experienced. Sabrina was about as far from his "type" as a woman could be, yet she was affecting him as no other one had before. Patrick pulled away before he started something he couldn't finish.

He was trying to think of something witty and charming to say, but since he wasn't currently thinking with his brain, Sabrina beat him to the punch. "What was that about?"

Patrick, nearly recovered, said, "I want to be more than friends."

"Huh?"

"I like you, Sabrina, a lot. And, I can tell you like me, too." He touched her cheek gently and then ran his fingers down her neck. "If you didn't, you wouldn't have kissed me back like that … or be blushing like you are now."

Sabrina stepped back out of range and took a deep breath. "I do like you, Patrick. But I don't want to lose you … to lose our friendship when it doesn't work out."

"But what if it does?" he said as he stepped toward her and grabbed her hand, "Give this - us - a chance."

Sabrina was quiet for what felt like forever as she looked down at their joined hands. Just when Patrick began to fear she would balk, Sabrina whispered, "Alright."

"Is that a yes?"

"Yes. Okay," she said with a smile. And then he kissed her - again.

* * *

The Ball was two months away and Patrick still hadn't brought it up to Sabrina. In fact, the closer he got to her, the more he dreaded the damn thing. If she ever found out that he initially got close to her because of a bet, she might forgive him, but the trust they'd built since he saved her would evaporate. Sabrina would be hurt and he would be lost without her.

They'd actually kept the fact that they were together a secret. It hadn't been a conscious decision on either of their parts. Their relationship was going really well and Patrick had a feeling that was doing so at least partly because they'd kept it a secret. He knew that if they went public, Sabrina would feel insecure at the scrutiny they would receive from their co-workers and others in town - and that it would be his fault thanks to his reputation as a player. No one questioned Sabrina's extra cheerful moods thanks to her naturally sunny disposition, but it was getting harder for Patrick to keep his feelings private - thanks to Carlos.

Although Sabrina had blown him off, he continued to pursue her. Since she just told him that she wasn't interested, rather than the truth, he thought he could change her mind by sending her bouquets of flowers with mushy cards and other presents. Every time another bouquet (which ended up going to needy patients) was delivered to the nurses station amidst "Ooh's" and "Ahhs" from the other nurses working with Sabrina, Patrick wanted to puke. One day, when the guy showed up with a scratch on his arm trying to get face time with her, Patrick almost laid him out. Carlos picked up that there was more than friendship between him and Sabrina and managed to push every button he could to try to get a rise out of Patrick. It took Sabrina stepping in to diffuse the situation.

"So, what, the two of you are dating?" Carlos had asked angrily.

"If we are or aren't, Carlos, it's none of your business," Sabrina replied. "I'm not your girlfriend anymore, so back...the...hell...off."

"It is my business because I love you, Querida, and I want a future with you. Dr. Playboy here is just using you - secretly, I assume - until something better comes along. He's going to break your heart, Sabrina. Then what?"

"You son of a…" Patrick ground out ready to pounce on the guy.

Sabrina put a hand up to stop Patrick and said, "That may be true, but it's my heart and I don't love you anymore. Please, Carlos, just go."

Carlos gathered his jacket and said, "Fine, I'll go. For now. But don't expect me to give up."

After Carlos left, Patrick tried to reassure Sabrina that he wasn't using her. Although she said she knew he wasn't, the guy had planted seeds of doubt in Sabrina's head that he was going to have to work overtime to overcome


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Sabrina stood smashed up against the edge of a row of lockers and wished that the ground would open up and swallow her whole. She had just finished changing after her shift and was walking back to her locker after brushing her hair by the mirrors, when Dr. Westborne (otherwise known as "the Britch") and two other gossipy nurses walked in.

Britch said, "So, what's the deal with Dr. Drake?"

"He's single, but a player." Nurse #1 said.

Britt smiled, "I don't mind. I like to play."

Nurse #2 chimed in then and said, "You know, it's weird. I haven't seen him with anyone in a couple weeks. Wonder what's going on?"

"Well, he has been spending a lot of time around Sparkle Pony lately. Maybe she is reigning him in, though for the life of me, I cannot see why a hottie like him wants to be around her. She is so _not _his type."

Nurse #2 and Britt snickered at the comment as silent tears began falling down Sabrina's face. With every new snipe aimed her way, Sabina felt smaller and smaller. Sabrina listened, cringing, as Britt listed all the ways she could distract Patrick from "the little nobody" when the a door opened and the trio became silent.

"Ladies." Sabrina heard Patrick say.

They fawned over him with greetings and tried to corner him in conversation, but Patrick deftly out maneuvered them, stating that he had an appointment and had to get a move on. Sabrina heard him walk to his locker and open the door, essentially dismissing them. She heard Nurse #1 tell Nurse #2 that they better get back to work before Epiphany searched them out. Britt lingered for a few moments, attempting to flirt, but (to Sabrina's delight) Patrick coldly blew her off. After the door closed behind Britt, Patrick said, "Sabrina, they're gone. You can come out now."

* * *

Patrick had a long day. First, he'd been called in early to help cover in the ER thanks to a car accident on the interstate. Then he had a difficult surgery where his patient developed complications on the table. After fixing things there, he had to make his rounds, which took forever. When he entered the locker room, the only thing that he was thinking about was seeing Sabrina later. Unfortunately, what he thought would be a quiet few minutes for him to relax as he changed, turned into a giant pain in the ass when he saw Britt and the mean girls gossiping. Although they shut up - guiltily - when they heard him come in, they didn't know that he'd overheard the lions share of their conversation and was pissed off. What he does with his life is his business and no one else's. Even if he was not seeing Sabrina, he wouldn't be the least bit interested in any of the three of them. Until meeting Sabrina, his standards hadn't been high, but he did have to at least like the women he slept with. He hadn't liked any of them before he heard their conversation and now he liked them even less after hearing the demeaning way they talked about Sabrina.

Patrick knew Sabrina had gotten off shortly before him, but since she didn't text him like she usually did when she left, he realized that she must have been running late. Sure enough, when he got to his locker, which was across from hers, he saw her tote bag sitting hidden under the bench and knew in his gut that she was hiding somewhere listening to the awful conversation. So, after the harpies left he said, "Sabrina, they're gone. You can come out now."

He heard her shuffle shyly from behind the row of lockers. Patrick could tell from her tear-stained cheeks and closed off body language that she was planning to bail on him tonight. So, he bent down and grabbed her bag before she could. She she went to grab it from him, but he wouldn't let go.

"Patrick, please..." She said as she implored him with her eyes not to give her a hard time.

When she went to grab the bag again, he pulled his arm in. Because of the tight grip she had on the bag, Sabrina was propelled forward into his arms. She struggled for a second to try to put distance between them, but then gave in and let go of the bag, wrapped her arms around him and cried.

A few moments later, she tried to pull away. "Patrick, someone might see."

"Let them. I don't care." When Sabrina didn't say anything, Patrick continued, "Sabrina, don't let those bitches get to you."

"How can I not, Patrick?"

"Because, their opinions don't matter. They know nothing about me or my life." He gently grabbed her chin and tilted her head up toward his. "I'm with you because I want you, not anyone else."

"But... Why me when you could have someone like Dr. Westborne, who, personality aside, is much more your type?"

"Because you're you, Sabrina. That's why."

"But... That doesn't make any sense..."

"Not everything has to make logical sense, Sabrina. Sometimes things just are the way they are."

When Sabrina opened her mouth to say something else dumb about how she was unworthy of him, Patrick kissed her to shut her up. The two of them stood there in the middle of the locker room flush against each other practically devouring each other alive until Patrick, who'd been having a hard time controlling his lust for a while, pulled back and whispered into Sabrina's ear. "Can't you feel how much I want you?"

Sabrina nodded her head and then rocked her hips into him. "I want you too, Patrick. So much," she whispered back huskily.

In actual physical pain now, Patrick said, "Then why don't we get out of here?"

Sabrina pulled away and grabbed her bag from the floor where it had fallen with one hand and his elbow with the other. Patrick collected his pager, cell, keys and wallet and slammed his locker door shut without changing out of his scrubs. It didn't matter though, because he wasn't going to be wearing them long anyway.


	10. Chapter 10

Sabrina had been miserable when she'd overheard that conversation in the locker room. The doubts and insecurities that Carlos had planted in her brain crept to the surface as the trio snickered about her behind her back. Sabrina had been mortified when Patrick told her to come out of hiding and saw how they made her cry with their harsh observations. However, as usual, he'd known just what to say to make her believe in herself and in his feelings for her. She knew that he kissed her to stop her from arguing with him, but she didn't care. Having his arms around her and his lips on hers made her forget everything and concentrate on just feeling. Up until now, they'd taken the physical stuff slowly, but it was getting harder and harder to ignore the current running between them whenever they touched. Sabrina wanted Patrick as much as he wanted her and she was through waiting.

Once she unlocked the door to her apartment, she stepped inside and pulled him in with her. As soon as the door closed, she pushed Patrick against it and began tugging at his shirt. Sabrina could tell that Patrick was shocked by her aggressiveness. Everyone assumed that because she was a "mousy nobody" with glasses and a sunny disposition that she was naive. But she wasn't. Far from it, in fact. She and Carlos had been together almost a decade and had an extremely active sex life that kept both of them very happy. Sabrina knew how to satisfy a man. She just chose not to broadcast it to the world.

After Sabrina got Patrick out of his shirt (finally!), she yanked hers off and stepped inches from him. When he reached out to touch her, she smiled seductively and shook her head "no". Sabrina took the next several minutes to explore Patrick's torso with her hands as she kissed her way up his chest and neck. By the time her lips reached his for a hungry kiss, Sabrina could tell Patrick's control was on the verge of snapping. As she kissed him, Sabrina wrapped her arms around his neck and plastered her body against his in all the places she knew would drive him mad with need.

If Sabrina didn't stop what she was doing, Patrick was going to end up embarrassing himself. He was already holding onto his control by a thread when she ordered (_ordered?!_) him not to touch her as she explored his body. By the time Sabrina kissed him, he'd had to fist his hands at his sides to stop himself from jamming them into her hair and using the locks to pull her close and ravish her. However, when she plastered herself against him, he couldn't take it anymore. Abruptly, he grabbed her and turned them around so she was sandwiched between him and the door. Sabrina squeaked in surprise at the loss of control, but didn't seem to mind it considering she leaned against the door for support and wrapped her legs around his waist to pull him even closer, causing Patrick to involuntarily moan in pleasure.

Good God, the woman was a siren. When he came back here with her, he thought he'd be schooling her. Boy, did he ever have it wrong. He'd underestimated her and now he was paying the price - happily.

Through playing around, Patrick grasped Sabrina tighter, pushed away from the door with his free hand and carried her to the bedroom.

_Later..._

Sabrina climbed off Patrick and plopped down on the bed. "Wow... That was..."

"Yeah, it was..." Patrick said as he struggled for breath. A moment later, when he'd recovered, he added, "You were loud."

Sabrina looked over him and squeaked, "What?!"

"You were loud."

Sabrina blushed. "I was not!"

Patrick turned toward Sabrina, pulled her close, and said, "Yeah, you were. Felix probably heard you across the hall."

Sabrina, embarrassed, pulled the sheet up to hide under and mumbled "Oh, God..." When he pulled the sheet away so he could lean in and nuzzle her neck, Sabrina swatted at him playfully.

"It's a good thing he is working tonight, otherwise the cat would definitely be out of the bag." Patrick thought a moment, then continued, "But, you know what? I'm finding that I _really_ like loud - especially when you're screaming my name with the word 'oh' or 'yes' next to it."

At that, Sabrina scolded him with a "_Patrick.._" but he just ignored her and continued with his ministrations, which he could tell were driving her wild.

When Sabrina lamely attempted to push him away and uttered a halfhearted, "Stop.", Patrick lifted his head, looked at her (letting his desire show in his eyes), and asked, "Do you want me to stop?"

"No... Don't stop," Sabrina, flushed with arousal and barely able to breathe, whispered as she pulled him toward her. Patrick shifted his body weight so he was practically on top of her and said, "Good. Because I wasn't planning to."

He smiled wickedly as he leaned down to kiss her. Payback was a bitch and Sabrina was about to pay (and pay and pay) for what she'd put him through earlier.


End file.
